What is Love?
by Chihiro Tenzou
Summary: IA has been a shut in for almost all her life. She doesn't know anything about society. Heck, she doesn't even know what love is. As she learns the meaning of it, will she experience it herself?


What is Love?

**A/N**: So, my cousin asked me to do something like this but, I'm not the type of person who researches on like, VOCALOID or stuff like that. I just try to piece stuff out and all. I hope you enjoy because, this is a first for me :D.

* * *

"Miku, looks like Meiko's coming over with a friend later." Luka said, reading a Falling Stones magazine. Luka, along with the twins, lived in this apartment at this hidden Hollywood like area in Japan. Luka stood as their somewhat older sister or lady of the house.

Miku came running down the stairs when she heard Luka's announcement. Meiko served as the person Miku thought about following, despite the drinking. "Meiko? Friend? Who?"

"Some new kid whom she found at this recording studio. Let's say she's new and doesn't know very many stuff. And I mean, stuff." Luka flipped to another page of her magazine while shaking her head at the thought of someone not knowing very much.

The twins were at the game room playing Neighborhood Evil on the iBox when Miku told them about the news. The twins kept distance from Meiko because the last time they met, Rin took her first drink. And, it didn't go too well. Len also smoked pot for the first time and the effect stayed for at least two days and when he got his sanity back, his hair was blue. But, they still love her anyway.

They soon heard an engine coming to a stop in front of their house. Meiko stepped out alone with a pink haired friend. Luka met them at the door "Meiko, you're early." She smiled.

"Oh yeah, well…" Meiko's voice faded off when a school of birds came passing by "…wanted to see you guys."

"What was her name again?" Luka asked one more time.

"Oh, it's…" again Meiko's voice wasn't very clear because a huge delivery truck passed by honking its life away. "For short, IA! She's new to society. She practically lived her whole life in a studio for Heaven's sake! Am I right IA?" IA nodded in agreement. Luka led the both of them inside and that's when Miku launched herself towards Meiko.

"Meiko-chan! You're here!"

"Miku? Did you dye your hair another shade of blue?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? My hair is not blue it's…aquamarine or…something!"

"Oh the hell with it. Where are the twins?" and just when she said that, the twins came running up to her. Rin was wearing a yellow hoodie while Len was wearing a white shirt.

"Meiko-nee!" Rin greeted, forcing Meiko into a hug. Meiko quickly hugged back and even messed with Rin's hair.

"Still not thinking about streaks I see. Len! Sup bro?"

"Still the usual. You got my e-mail regarding Left 4 Bed?"

"Yeah! Is there really gonna be a sequel?" Meiko asked, starting a conversation only gamers would understand. Miku was busy talking to Luka when Rin realized there was someone behind Meiko. It was IA. She approached her and tried to break the ice.

"Hey, got a name?" IA failed to answer at first so Rin tried asking her again. Meiko noticed Rin's unsuccessful trials at talking to IA so she tried to explain.

"You see Rin…." Meiko's voice wasn't very clear since Miku's loud laugh filled the area "…is very shy. You can call her IA though. She doesn't know what you people know. Like, happiness or something. It's like she was controlled. That's why I offered that I become her manager."

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Luka, Miku, Lin and Ren said in shock. Apparently, Meiko wasn't the best at…guidance.

"HEY. I didn't drink for one whole month to make sure she trusts me. Ain't that right, IA?" Meiko turned to IA who nodded in agreement.

"She doesn't speak much, does she?" Miku said, putting one hand on her hip, studying IA. "How about I make her speak?"

"That's exactly why I brought her here. Okay, IA, go run off with Miku-chan. Go on, run along now." Meiko pushed IA to Miku like she was nothing but a zombie. She was that anti-social.

Miku brought IA to their game room. Almost everything you could want was there. Consoles, game tables or something like foosball, karaoke, anything. "So, if you wanna play with something, just tell me." Although, IA didn't speak for the next three minutes. Miku shrunk down to IA's height and tried speaking to her again "Wanna know how to really live life to the fullest?" IA's eyes grew larger. She hesitantly gave Miku a nod.

Miku smiled then brought IA to the ping pong table. "You see, this is ping pong. Watch," Miku demonstrated a single shot towards IA. She almost got hit but she caught the ball in one hand. "I can see you're agile. Now, if I do that again, you have to hit it back at me except," Miku threw something across the table "With a paddle, can you handle that?" IA nodded.

Just when IA was about to take a shot, Miku thought of something good "How about this, if I win, you have to start talking. If you win, hmm…you can stay quiet for as long as you like." IA raised an eyebrow and got in game position.

Miku served and when IA returned it, chaos struck. Turns out IA was a killer ping pong player. Miku was sweating while IA wasn't even exerting much effort. Back and forth, here and there, missed shots everywhere. They reached match point, Miku already put her hair in a ponytail. "You're good kid…" IA shrugged then gave a half smile.

Miku served and IA returned it with even greater force. Miku almost missed it but she kept going. Then her greatest fears came, IA got the advantage (I don't know much ping pong speak so I'm judging on what I hear in badminton or something hihi). Miku started to unleash her so called, "Inner Warthog" and yes, warthog. She chose a warthog because tigers are mainstream.

Miku got back a point and made them both fair again. Then she remembered something, IA doesn't know much about society so, for sure, she doesn't know what cheating is. She was overthinking a way to serve with her missing it but IA still hit back and even cause Miku to miss.

Miku gave up on overthinking and gave the dumbest cheat technique ever "IA LOOK!" she pointed upwards cause IA to look at nothing. Miku served but, IA hit it even though she wasn't looking. Miku was too busy jumping up and down thinking she was gonna win but she didn't. In the end, she missed the shot.

"WHAT?!" she exclaimed "BUT THAT WAS…URGH SO CLOSE!"

"That was nice." IA finally spoke. She walked up to Miku and handed her the paddle "I enjoyed it. That's what you call 'fun', right?"

Miku stood there shocked and taken aback. IA had this voice that was both calm and angelic. "You, you finally—"

"Yes, I know. I apologize for not speaking anytime sooner. I'm just…new."

"Well, how about we sit down and talk about things you wanna know. How's that?" Miku said. IA smiled showing signs of agreement. Miku led them to bean bags with this wall T.V. above them. Miku put on Luka's previous concert for them to watch and listen to. "Have you had any friends?"

"Just Meiko-sama."

"You're kidding me, right? Just Meiko? Hmm…Meiko is pretty cool." Miku shifted her attention to the T.V. and so did IA.

"Erm, Miku-nee—"

"Just Miku is fine,"

"Miku, erm, what is love?"

Miku paused the video and shifted her attention back to IA. She chuckled a bit then smiled "You really don't know what that is?" Miku said, in an unbelievably soft and sweet voice.

"Apparently not. The people at the studio would always stress me out. At times they'd compliment me but, I don't think that's love. So, what is love?"

Miku thought for a while for a decent answer then tried to give whatever she had in mind "Love is…love is what keeps you smiling. You do something you love, you smile. You're with someone you love, you smile even wider."

"Good enough," IA smiled then processed Miku's answer.

"Hmm…if I were to be separated from my negi, which should _not_ happen, I would be devastated. If I'm with my negi, I just keep smiling cause it makes me happy. How about, this whole VOCALOID family keeps me smiling because it's so easy to absorb the love they give even if they don't directly give it to you. You just love them so much you smile. Do you understand?"

"I've never had much of a family…nor have I loved something…"

"A family comes in many ways. A family can be a group of friends or just that one person whom you consider to be so close to you. You can consider Meiko your family since she's close to you." Miku smiled.

"Are you guys considered family?"

"Of course," Miku said, putting one arm around IA "The best family you could ever ask for."

* * *

The two left the game room and they went their own separate ways. IA thought a male would have a different opinion so she tried speaking to Len who was plainly sitting on a chair at the balcony. She was hesitant at approaching him but got his attention when she stepped on something.

"Oh!" she gasped, controlling her voice making sure it wasn't too loud. Len looked back but IA hid herself behind a plant. He pushed the leaves away and spotted her hiding there. "Hello?" he said.

"I'm sorry…"

"Why are you sorry? Do you need help?" Len offered his hand out to IA and she accepted it. She was a little ashamed. "You're Meiko's friend. Well, I'm Len. I'm not exactly related to Rin by the way, well, that's what people tell me. You're…?"

"I'm…" the school of birds returned filtering IA's voice "…but you can call me IA."

"Hmm…that sounds cool. I like your name. Wanna sit down?" Len pointed to a seat next to him. IA sat down but scooted the chair away a bit. "You're really shy, aren't you? But, it's pretty neat of Miku to get you talking."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm? What do you need?"

"What is love?"

"Love? Oh uh…well I can see Meiko was right about you not knowing much…hmm…"

Len was quiet for quite some time. IA was starting to get worried "Do you wish not to answer that question anymore?"

"No, you should know I'm just, thinking of a way to tell you in such a way that you find, understandable or something." Len sat back down thinking even harder.

"You don't have to answer if—"

"Love is what gets you confused. You get me? Like, you don't know right from wrong anymore. You really love someone or something you can't give a very clear reason why you like it or them in the first place."

"Hmm…?" it appears Len's statement alone is still quite confusing itself.

"Uhm, let's say you like to bungee jump. Pretty dangerous, right? But you love it so much you can't say why you love it, it gets you confused. How about, you love this person who is so ridiculously wrong, but you think that person is just right."

"Are there rules in love?"

"Just a few I guess. You have to be honest, you have to have trust, you have to stay loyal. I guess they're some of the big things in love. Honesty, trust, and loyalty."

"Is there a book?"

"I guess you could check the Bible. There are tons of ways on how to love there. I'm no expert; I still have so much to learn. So do you." Len said, standing up and leaning over the balcony railings. IA followed and did the same. Feeling a little more comfortable with Len, she leaned in closer to him.

"I feel like an idiot not knowing something as simple as love." IA said, ducking her head.

"Nobody knows what love is until they experience it themselves."

"Have you ever experienced it?"

"Hmm…yes. From my friends."

"Then why did you find it so hard to give a proper description?"

"Because, like I said, I'm not expert; I still have so much to learn."

* * *

On the way downstairs, IA bumped into Rin, who was just looking for her. "There you are! Come on, we have cookies." Rin pulled IA over to her room where she got a jar of cookies out of her dresser.

"Why are their cookies in your room?"

"Oh! By 'we', I mean you and me! These are just mine, I was waiting for someone to share it with." Rin said, handing IA a cookie.

IA took a quick bite then went on with the conversation "Why don't you share with your brother?"

"Who, Len? Oh, we're not exactly related. We're more like gender whatevers of each other. You thought we were twins didn't you?"

"Well, it's obvious."

"Ha, I know, right? So, how was Miku-nee?"

IA stopped chewing then swallowed "She was…sweet." She said, taking another cookie out of the jar. She's never had sweets in such a long time.

"Miku-nee's the best. I someday wanna be like her. I wanna have as many hits as her. Do you know how many hit songs she's recorded? Well good, I don't know either. What matters is that she's…somebody. I really look up to Miku-nee, you know?"

"What if Miku changed, like, personalities?"

"Then, I'd do whatever it takes to get her back to normal. That's how important she is. Have you ever had someone to look up to?"

"Uhm, probably some the other recording artists back home. Well, there is one. She was really pretty but I never got the chance to talk to her. She's tall and…she's blonde. She plays rock-ish songs but her voice is amazing."

"Whoa! She must be really famous then! Does she have a lot of cookies?"

"She has popcorn, hmm…but her popcorn comes with stands and, they're really hard and heavy. All of the stands have her name engraved on them. I'm not even sure if it's edible or even cooked right sometimes."

"Oh! You must mean the award! I think it's this MTB Music something I guess."

"Rin-chan er, you know I don't have that much thought on deep stuff so…"

"You wanna ask me something?"

"Uh…how'd you?"

"Oh, it's a thing I can do. Ha-ha! So, fire away~" Rin said, prolonging the last word.

"What is love?"

Rin suddenly shifted to her soft side then fell back on the bed. She pat on one side inviting IA to lay down beside her. Rin sighed the answered "Love is inspiration. You wanna do this, that, anything. Why? You're inspired. So, I think love is inspiration. I think you can see why I'm working so hard on my music, right? Because Miku-nee is my inspiration."

"Do you love her?"

"Oh, you must think of my love to her as a girlfriend or something. Ha-ha! Nah, just as a friend. I don't roll like that."

"Why do two people love each other even if they belong to the same gender then?"

"Because they know what they want. You know, love finds itself or…something. Sorry, I have this very different perspective when it comes to love. Everybody does!"

"Why are there different perspectives when it comes to love?"

"Well, wouldn't it be boring if every guy had the same technique when courting a girl, and if every girl would use the exact same sweet lines to their boyfriends?"

"So is that why other people do this and that while other people just gives chocolates and flowers?"

"Dear, I have no idea where you learned this and that. Probably from Meiko. Anyway, yes. You see, IA, everybody loves differently. That gives a little umf factor. Wouldn't you want an awesome love story to brag about?"

"Do you have an awesome love story you can brag about?"

"Ah…uhm…well, not yet. Oh! How about this, I challenge you."

"Me?"

"Yes you…we shall make an oath. I, state your name…"

"I…" her voice was soft due to Len's excessive playing which stopped after a while.

"Promise to meet a guy, or if I'm desperate, a girl, who will give me the best love story I can brag about because the love we share is the bestest in whole fluffy world!"

"Promise to…?"

"GREAT! Well, that's a deal. Now, run along young grasshopper, find someone you love. And, a guy I like is calling me on Snype, nice talking to you! Come back for more cookies!" and with that, Rin led IA to the door.

* * *

IA decided to get one more idea on love so she went for someone older and mature, Luka. Luka was busy tuning a guitar when IA came walking up to her. "Excuse me…" she said, her voice light.

"Oh, IA, need anything?"

"I…felt like talking."

"Well I can see Miku's done her job. I guess I owe her, huh? I never expected her to actually do something like that."

"Does she ever get on your nerves?"

"Hmm, there are times but, I can never seem to hold a grudge against her. We've been friends since day one. It's like we were just made to be that way or, something."

"Are you ever jealous when you see Miku with other friends? Get it? Like, maybe you see her happy with this group but, you're not a part of them."

Luka stopped and put herself in this state of thought. Was she ever jealous? Maybe, jealous inside?

"Well uh," Luka started "There are times when I do get jealous but, not that much now. Let's say, before, when I wasn't so put into thought yet, I felt like Miku had more fun with uh, let's say Kaito, Meiko, everybody else…just not me. Then I realized, I can't keep her to myself forever, can I? Luka added a bit of a chuckle at that last part.

"So uh, may I ask another question?"

"You're full of questions, aren't you? Ha-ha, well, why not? I don't see the problem so, fire away."

"What is love?"

"Oh…that question. You know, love is complicated but, I'd like to say that it's so complicated, sometimes you have to make decisions that will benefit one person, but hurt the other. Like, you just have to let someone go sometimes. When you love something, someone, anyone, sometimes you just have to let them go. It hurts but, it's what's best for all of us."

"Why let them go when you can be with them?"

"What if the person you love is tired, would you make them stay with you and be miserable forever or, would you prefer for them to be happy and just, go?"

IA was silent, she was starting to understand the concept of love more and more every passing second.

"Why do wanna know what the meaning of love is, when there's more thrill when you discover it yourself?" Luka said.

IA was still silent, but eventually she was able to let a word out "So, how did you find out your meaning of love then? Who or what made you discover it? Someone who…keeps you smiling? Someone who…gets you confused? Someone who…inspires you? Or maybe it's someone you…let go?"

Luka smiled then put her hand on IA's shoulder "You know, for someone as shut in as you, you can really understand things in such a way that I find amazing."

"That's life,"

* * *

That night, when everybody was asleep, IA went up on the roof and sighed. She was thinking and processing all their answers as one but they were just too different to put together. She hugged her knees then put herself into deep thought.

"Everybody's discovered what they think love is. Everybody but me, that is. Is there such a thing as love for me or, is it limited? Was I too late to get some of it? Ugh, my life is annoying."

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you enjoyed! Sort of one shot :)


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